title: RTPrimerDB: the portal for real-time PCR primers and probes.
abstract: RTPrimerDB (http://www.rtprimerdb.org) is a freely accessible database and analysis tool for real-time quantitative PCR assays. RTPrimerDB includes records with user submitted assays that are linked to genome information from reference databases and quality controlled using an in silico assay evaluation system. The primer evaluation tools intended to assess the specificity and to detect features that could negatively affect the amplification efficiency are combined into a pipeline to test custom-designed primer and probe sequences. An improved user feedback system guides users and submitters to enter practical remarks and details about experimental evaluation analyses. The database is linked with reference databases to allow the submission of assays for all genes and organisms officially registered in Entrez Gene and RefSeq. Records in RTPrimerDB are assigned unique and stable identifiers. The content is provided via an interactive web-based search system and is available for download in the recently developed RDML format and as bulk export file. RTPrimerDB is a one-stop portal for high-quality and highly annotated real-time PCR assays.
authors.affiliation: Center for Medical Genetics, Ghent University Hospital, De Pintelaan 185, 9000 Gent, Belgium.
authors.forename: Steve
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Lefever
authors.forename: Jo
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Vandesompele
authors.forename: Frank
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Speleman
authors.forename: Filip
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Pattyn
mesh_terms: D017931:DNA Primers / Q000737:chemistry*; D030561:Databases, Nucleic Acid; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes / Q000737:chemistry*; D016133:Polymerase Chain Reaction; D014584:User-Computer Interface
chemical_list: D017931:DNA Primers; D015345:Oligonucleotide Probes